UWF Public History Program

Last Updated: February 16, 2022

UWF Department of History
11000 University Parkway

Pensacola, FL 32514

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Director(s)

Jamin Wells
[email protected]
850-473-7290

Program Introduction

The Public History Program at the University of West Florida began in 1998 and has welcomed an incoming class of ten to sixteen graduate students each year. Focusing on providing students with a compressive understanding of the skills and inquiry methods required to work as a public history professional, in collaboration with the living-learning laboratory of Historic Pensacola Village and the UWF Historic Trust, the program offers studies in policy history, museum studies, oral history, historic preservation, film and new media, and heritage tourism. More than one hundred students have graduated from the program and are working in the field across the country and internationally.

Degrees Offered

  • B.A. in History
  • M.A. in Public History
  • M.A. in History

Program Strengths

  • Business
  • Digital Media
  • Film/Video
  • Historical Administration
  • Historic Preservation
  • Local/Community History
  • Museum Studies
  • Oral History
  • Public Policy

Credit Hour Requirements

36

How Many Students are Admitted Annually

BAN/A

MA12

PhDN/A

Financial Aid Available

Graduate Assistantships
Stipends
Fee Discounts
In-State Status
Out-of-State Tuition Waiver

Deadline To Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Internship Requirements

Practicums, rather than traditional internships, serve as a student’s professional capstone experience. Arranged with a host agency, students complete a project, write a comprehensive report (as the foundation of their professional portfolio), and present their experiences in a conference setting.

Places Where Students Have Interned During the Past 3 Years

• Cold War Museum
• Country Music Hall of Fame
• Florida State Historic Preservation Office
• Independence National Park
• National Armament Museum
• National Museum of the United States Navy
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• National Policy Archives
• Next Exit History™
• Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation
• Smithsonian Institution
• Yellowstone National Park

Job Placement Assistance

Through the practicum process, students develop connections in the field that help identify places of employment.

Employers Who Have Hired Graduates from this Program within the Past Five Years

• National Park Service
• Smithsonian Institution
• National Museum of Naval Aviation
• Florida State Historic Preservation Office
• Florida Legislature
• U.S. Congress
• Salt River Project
• Numerous museums, historical societies, private environmental firms, and companies